Chapter 124: Mom
Like ink wiped from a blank page, the thunderclouds in the sky rapidly dissipated without a trace, revealing the starry expanse above, which now shone with exceptional brilliance.
The old man, still lost in his grief, couldn't help but sigh. "Truly terrifying! An Immortal like that, actually obliterated by Celestial Thunder… It's unlikely even her soul survived."
Chen Dong shook his head and sighed. "The heavens are unjust! When an insect king appears among the swarm, they simply strike it down."
Hearing this, the old man stared blankly for a moment before throwing himself to his knees before Chen Dong and kowtowing deeply.
"This old man is Yang Mingshan. Thank you for saving my life, Senior!"
Chen Dong snapped out of his reverie, a pained expression crossing his face. 'So many priceless treasures in the tomb,' he thought, 'the Ancient Sword Divine Artifact, the Ghost Essence, and the Mingxi Grass… and I didn't manage to get a single thing. I even had an ancient sword, but she took it, and now it's probably been destroyed in the Thunderfall too.'
He looked over at the mountain pass where the tomb had been. The pass itself was gone, replaced by a massive lake that seemed utterly bottomless.
Even with his cultivation, Chen Dong wouldn't dare dream of traversing the lake and a kilometer of rock and earth to find that tomb. Besides, the tomb was likely far more than a kilometer underground now. The grand formation protecting it was fully active, unlike when they had entered, back when it was dormant and hidden.
'Going into the tomb now would be suicide.'
Chen Dong gritted his teeth. His expression changed as if he'd just remembered something. He turned to Yang Mingshan and said coldly, "Hand it over!"
A pained expression washed over Yang Mingshan's face. He had paid for this with the lives of his three sons and a grandson. But faced with Chen Dong, he had no choice but to slowly take it out.
He held out a stalk of Mingxi Grass in both hands.
His heart filled with resentment, he pleaded with Chen Dong, "Senior, you've already reached the Outer Appearance Realm. The Mingxi Grass is of no use to you. Why not leave it for this old man? I'm willing to offer you a great fortune in return!"
Chen Dong snorted coldly and took the Mingxi Grass. "I told you not to touch anything, but you just had to. Everything that has happened is your responsibility! Consider this stalk of Mingxi Grass my reward for saving your life."
Tears welled up in the old man's eyes again. Chen Dong had just taken away the object of his life's pursuit, yet he hadn't dared to refuse.
Looking at the old man's pathetic state, Chen Dong said with contempt, "Stop crying. I'll give you a Mingxi Condensation Pill after I refine them."
The old man froze. "What pill did you say, Senior?"
He had heard the name clearly—Mingxi Condensation Pill—but he had no idea what it was. The records passed down from his ancestors only stated that Mingxi Grass could help one break through to the Outer Appearance Realm.
Chen Dong shot him a glance and said nonchalantly, "The Mingxi Condensation Pill can bring out the full potential of the Mingxi Grass. It's far more effective than just eating it raw. This way, you won't be wasting such a treasure. However, you'll have to prepare the other medicinal ingredients."
Upon hearing this, Yang Mingshan hastily agreed.
Chen Dong then gave him a list of the required herbs and items. They parted ways, agreeing that the old man would contact him once everything was ready.
After they parted, Chen Dong could no longer conceal his injuries. He felt unable to suppress them any longer.
The Secret Technique had allowed Chen Dong to temporarily leap an entire major Realm, granting him the ability to fly. But the more powerful the technique, the more vicious the backlash.
The backlash from the Secret Technique left Chen Dong utterly weakened; he knew he couldn't force himself to make it all the way back to the Li Family Manor. He had no choice but to find a nearby cave, hastily camouflage the entrance, set up a simple tripwire alarm, and begin healing on the spot.
He inserted twenty-seven Silver Needles to seal the chaotic True Qi in his body, then entered a meditative state to regulate it.
By the time the morning sun began to rise, Chen Dong had recovered slightly. Although he was at less than a third of his full strength, the average Grandmaster would still be no match for him.
Even with his eyes closed, Chen Dong vaguely sensed something moving in front of him.
Chen Dong's eyes snapped open in shock. A pair of large, sparkling eyes were just inches from his face.
The sudden opening of his eyes startled the person before him, who yelped and fell right on their bottom.
"Mama, you scared me!"
The chiding came from a completely naked little girl, maybe six or seven years old, in a sweet, childish voice.
Chen Dong felt like he was the one who had nearly died of fright. Although he had been in a deep meditative state, he wasn't completely without awareness, and he had even set up a warning mechanism at the mouth of the cave.
How had this little girl managed to get past his alarm and approach him without him sensing a thing?
Even though the little girl before him was as innocent and adorable as a jade doll, Chen Dong remained vigilant and asked coldly, "Who are you?"
The little girl chewed on her finger, thinking for a long while before pouting. "I don't know who I am. But… Mama, you don't recognize me?"
Chen Dong's brow furrowed. "What did you call me?"
The little girl answered innocently, "Mama! You're my mama!"
Chen Dong was stunned. A little girl appearing in this desolate wilderness and calling him "Mama"? What was going on?
Chen Dong shook his head. "I'm not your mother. You've got the wrong person. Where's your home? I can take you back."
As soon as she heard this, tears began to well up in her large, shimmering eyes. "You are my mama! Don't you want me anymore?"
Then, she burst out crying. "I don't have a home! You're my mama! WAAAHHH!"
Chen Dong froze on the spot, feeling as if the world had gone dark. The little girl's voice seemed to shake his very Sea of Consciousness.
At that moment, a wild theory formed in Chen Dong's mind.
'Could this girl be the master of the Fuyuan Tomb—the woman in red who was supposed to have been annihilated by the Thunderfall?'